Turtle, Giant, Sea [1973]

Climat/Terrain	Any sea
Organisation	Solitary
Fréquence	Peu commun
Diète	Omnivore
Cycle d'activité	Any
Intelligence	0 - Non intelligent ou non mesurable
Trésor	Nil
Alignement	Neutre Absolu
Nombres	1-3
Classe d'armure	2/5
Mouvement	Au sol : 1" Vol : - Classe de vol : Nage : 15" Enfouissement : Web :
Dés de vie	15
Thac0	5
Nbre d'attaques	1
Dommage / attaques	4-16
Attaques spéciales	Upset craft
Défenses spéciales	Hide limbs
Résistance à la magie	Nil
Taille	H - huge ( 12+' to 25' ) (50’ diameter)
Morale	15-16 - Champion
Valeur en XP	5000 xp

Commentaires : Giant turtles are simply huge varieties of the normal species encountered daily in the wild. They resemble their common counterparts in every respect except for size. A turtle is characterized by its bony outer shell. The lower portion of the shell is known as the plastron, while the upper shell is referred to as the carapace. It is into this shell that a turtle withdraws its legs and head when threatened. Some turtles are incapable of completely shielding their limbs in this way, and plaster their legs very close to the shell for protection. Giant turtles eat whatever is available in their environment, from living plants to all types of insects, small mammals, and fish of all kinds. They prefer fresh green plants and live worms, as turtles do not enjoy feeding on carrion or rotting vegetation. Naturally, such foods are fair game if the turtle is in danger of starvation. Turtles have very long life spans-from 30 to 150 years, depending on the species. They are slow-moving and thus would rather withdraw into their shells when faced with an enemy, rather than either fight or flee. However, when harmed or persistently molested, the strong, quick bite of a giant turtle is a deadly weapon indeed. Giant turtle meat is considered a delicacy in most cultures, and it is highly nourishing and palatable. The upper shells of giant turtles are also greatly preferred as they can be made into small huts, strong roofs, or even boats. Without exception, the tropical marine varieties of sea turtle are the finest tasting and have the most attractive shells.

Combat : This basically non-aggressive marine creature fights fiercely if annoyed or threatened. The tearing bite of giant sea turtle causes 4d4 points of damage to the unlucky victim. If one surfaces beneath a small craft, there is a possibility of upsetting the vessel. There is a 90% chance for a rowboat but only 10% for a longship. Adjust this base chance for other sea-going vessels according to the size and stability of the craft. The head and flippers of giant sea turtles are Armor Class 5, while the shell is AC 2. If the turtle withdraws its head and flippers into its shell either for defense or while resting, all attacks are considered to be directed against the shell.